Constant As The Stars
by theheraldofthemorn
Summary: When Arthur makes a deal with a sourcer to save Merlin's life there transported into the Modern age but with Merlin dying in both realitys, Arthur needs to remember him in time to save the love of his lifes!


This is my first ever try at writing a fan fiction so be gentle with me!

* * *

He pulls up to school unusually early, couldn't sleep and he knew if he left early enough he wouldn't have to drive Morgona and her friends to school. He gets out and leans against the red BMW, he'd parked in his usual spot which meant the lads would meet him here when they arrived.

"PRICKKK" and if it have been anyone else he would of had them on the ground in an instant. 'If it isn't Gwaine the strong care to test that title?' and Gwaine just laughs

"Good to see you, your royal dickness" and Arthur returns the laugh.

"Seriously man how are still looking that good when it took me about an hour to peel my eye lids open after last night" he groans.

"Hey it was your idea to have a end of summer party not me" rolling his eyes just as he sees Leon and Percival stride over.

"Gwaine you look like shit mate" Leon whose usually so reserved had finally started to feel comfortable around them when Gwaine joined the football team and school last year after transferring.

"I think I may have drunk allot more then every one else" he sulked and we all laughed if the party last night was anything to go by they'd have a pretty eventful year ahead of them. Noticing the school start to fill up Arthur looked around trying to spot Morgona because if she was late on her first day then he was going to kill her.

He heard Percival whistle and looked over to see what had got his affection and let his eyes rest on the black Lamborghini. Shit that rivalled his car to the extreme, annoyance pieced him, it was usually Arthur that made the big entrance and he found him self wishing he had of arrived later like the stranger who still hadn't got out of this car, obviously trying to prolong the attention.

The door swung open easily and he heard Leon mutter something about it being beautiful and then the owner stepped out in mixture of graceless, clumsy movement and it seemed the whole school was silent or at least it was to him but Leon was right he was beautiful hardly restring the fact that Leon was talking about the car and Arthur the man.

He's a gangle of long limps and lean muscles from what he could see from his way to tight to be legal t-shirt. His hair was jet black and cropped short, not styled and it stuck out providing a perfect frame for his face. His skin against the black hair was ghost like and Arthur found him self scanning the strangers face because his eyes god those eyes where something he'd never ever seen before impossibly blue with a glace of gold because who could possibly have those kind of eyes and his eyes where so intense that his heart nearly stopped there and then but then there was his lips and he watched as the stranger bit the bottom one and analysed he was nervous for some one who did just a good job at the big entrance and man what Arthur would do to find what his lips could do and then his eyes slid down noticed his clothes and everything was too tight, if he had a car like that, could it really be that he couldn't afford clothes that fit or was he just wearing them that tight to torture the rest of the student body. His black t-shirt hugged his chest and when he reached to lock this car it rode the tiniest bit up and revealed hipbones that did things to Arthur that he didn't want to admit and then his black jeans where really tight I mean painted on tight and Arthur had to swallow and breath a heavy breath because his own pants were starting to feel really to tight and he wretched his eyes away god, this was too much on the first day, this was to much for any day.

"Close you mouth Arthur your practically drooling" and he spun round to the voice he hated the most.

"Get back in your cage Mourgous before the press get wind of the fact there are rabid dogs on the lose" She glared at him and strode away to Mordred and don't even get Arthur started on him.

"She has a point, though I can't blame you, best looking boy this school ever seen, apart from me of course" Gwaine was still staring at the stranger and Arthur followed his gaze before dropping it and barking at Gwaine to stop looking and Gwaine shrugged but dropped his gaze only occasionally peeking at what the stranger was doing, Arthur following suit.

He's standing still looking at a map when some one jumps him from behind knocking them both to the grass. Arthur feels his body go completely tense struck by the sudden urge to protect his boy but then he recognises the person as Gwen and frowns as he sees her readjust herself to sit on to the new boys lap. There laughing, laughter that is so honest and true that it makes Arthur's chest swell with happiness just hearing it because its loving laughter one that Arthur could never get Gwen to do when she was with him. 'MERLIN' and she just literally screamed his name and everyone who was not already turns to look where Arthur's gaze has been directed to for the past 5 minuets and he sees the blush that creeps onto the strangers-ergh Merlin's face.

"I missed you so much, don't you ever leave me again, do you know how long I've had to wait for you - Merlin Emrys are you listening to me" she's scolding but there's a fondness to it and everyone quickly assumes its a reunited couple and loses interest and Arthur gives up any hope that the new boy might be gay.

* * *

Its history when Arthur walks in to find him in his seat." You know this is where I sit" his voice is annoyed and he has not right to use it against this boy just because he's straight but he does anyway.

"Really because funnily enough I don't see your name anywhere" Merlin's tone is full of false confidence but no one else detects it and they snigger at the remark

"You can't speak to me like that, I could have you kicked out of this school before you could even stand up" Arthur almost feels sorry for the boy, he means its not his fault, he didn't know that Arthur's dad was the head of the school board never mind the CEO of all major Arthurian based plays in the west end hence Arthur's and Morgona's names. Its then he's noticed Merlin's stood up.

" My apologies - really because funnily enough I don't see your name anywhere... your highness" earning some more sniggers especially from Gwaine but for some unknown reason this pulls on some vague string at the back of his mind causing any rash action he would usually do disappear.

"Arthur are you going to sit down, so I can start my class anytime soon" great the teachers here which means he can defiantly not be caught picking on the new kid, he turns around and pulls what he hope to be a dazzling smile to his lips

" Just introducing my self to Merlin here" and maybe that party last night is getting to him because Miss Neme seems to be dazzled at the mention of Merlin's name.

"Ahh Merlin your application for this class in most impressive" she practically coos and she gets an annoyingly attractive goofy grin from the boy in question.

"Can I ask what is your chosen topic for this years essay ?" she looks fairly interested and his application has to be good for her be impressed because most of the time she's pulling people down, okay most of the time she's slaughtering Arthur but the same applies.

"I understand that the list of topics all focused on Kings Arthur's rein" and shit he hadn't even read the topic list.

" I have chosen to depict how the mythical element and the factual compare and how historians over the years have used both to create a timeline of his life" his voice sounds unsure as if he wanted to choice a different one but was forced to do this one.

"You know most students just pick Arthur and Gwenivere its a lot easier to write there love story" her voice is almost provoking.

Merlin actually roles his eyes "like a said mythical element" and the whole class is watching this now.

"And you have reason to believe that there was no love story to write about" and Neme's smiling because if he's honest this class is usually dead and he supposes she's not used to getting stimulating conversation out of them.

"Me and a lot of historians alike" he turns to look at Arthur and his eyes are all consuming so full of knowledge beyond his years and I shake my self, he's 17 yet his eyes seem to of seen more then those numbers.

"I see you agree with the modern up dates, me and you both young Emrys " and kid you not she's laughing at him, she never laughs.

"Seems more probable does it not - even if most of the historians are reluctant to believe it " he says turning back to her, letting Arthur escape from the gaze and allowing him to be able to breath once more.

"Sorry to interrupt" and he is because it meant there discussion would take up time she would of made him use writing lines.

"But what are the modern thoughts?" and Merlin and Neme both share a warm smile and its suspicous to say the least.

"The most recent speculations are that King Arthur was in fact gay" and the whole class laugh and although yes he and Arthur's friends use each others names as jokes, some times its like he can never get away from the comparisons.

Merlin looks to his right at Gwaine for help obviously not getting the joke. Gwaine leans over to Merlin's desk "Just so happens our Arthur of this times gay as well" and if he wasn't glaring at Gwaine so much he would of been sure that Merlin lit up at that .

He turns to Neme and mumbles something like "I guess history Is really doomed to repeat its self" and Neme Is laughing really loudly until she regains her self as the bell goes and the class all file out and he's about to leave when he hear Merlin and talking and Its just to easy, if any one asks he was just waiting out side the door to ask for extra help on the assignments.

"Merlin" and her voice is way to seductive if you ask him, not that he's jealousy because he's not.

"Please tell me you remember" Merlin's voice is heavy with sadness and Arthur risks a glance and his face is so devastatingly beautiful that he has such a dwelling urge to go and wrap him in his arms that it nearly knocks him over.

"One of the few with the burden of memory" she says her voice also laced with a deep sadness and none of this conversation make any sense.

"Oh haven't the history books got it wrong" and Miss Neme grins in response to Merlin's strange comment.

"I was far more beautiful then they make me out to be" and this time Merlin smiles.

"Destructively beautiful I ensure you" and then It clicks there used to be some kind of student and teacher relationship here and he feels way to dirty to keep listening and he's ready to turn to leave until he hears his name .

"You came to find Arthur, when you woke, you came back to him didn't you?" Neme voice is full of understanding.

"I'll always come back to him Nimeuh" and the love in that sentence is enough to break a thousand hearts.

"Even if he's still the prat he was when I first met him" and he's struck with the resemblance of words that he can't remember being used against him.

"Even if he's outside the door listening in" and he hears Miss. Neme or I suppose her full name Nimeuh? sigh and Merlin follows suit

"Even then" and the he turns and is walking towards Arthur.

He's torn with the idea of running before he gets here but If he already knew he was there then he didn't see the point.

"Will you ever stop being such a royal prat" and there's humour in Merlin's voice and still none of this makes any sense because he speaks like he already knows him.

He hears Merlin sigh and well seriously you'd think his life was so bloody dam crap with the way this boy kept sighing.

"Since your here will you take me to the school doctor" and its not fair how Arthur's heart leaps at thought of Merlin being unwell.

"Are you okay" trying to him self sound blasé.

"Just tired, new day and all, don't worry about it" but his voice is a dead give away and his legs are wobbling.

"Can you walk?" Arthur's not bothered about trying to sound cool anymore because he looks awful.

Merlin smiles at the clear worry in his voice and he mentally kicks him self

"I can try" he takes a step and his balance is completely off and instinctively Arthur wraps an arm around Merlin's waist before he know what he was doing, to help him stand up of course and pretend not to notice the way the burnet leans into the touch as though this was the most natural thing in the world.

"MERLIN" its Lance and he can't help but feel a little annoyed, he already stole Gwen away from him when he kept up the pretenses of being straight yes he knows the whole Gwenivere, Lancelot and Arthur triangle how fucking hilarious and now he's stealing Merlin. Not that Merlin was his, he'd only knew him for day, Arthur was getting way to ahead of himself.

"Lancelot" nobody in the entire school ever calls Lance this, one he is way to handsome for the girls to try and take the piss out of this name and that included Arthur not being able to as well and two despite Lance being outrageously sporty he wasn't on any team and therefore didn't sit with the usual crowd of jocks of the round table so didn't suffer the usual jokes.

"Here" he says taking Merlin from Arthur by picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder and he cant help the small frown that forms on his face.

"I have free, you get to class" and he runs of with Merlin's protests 'of put me down' and 'your supposed to be noble' earning a laugh from Lance yet Arthur was sure the last time some said something like that to him Lance had flashed a look of pain across his face. 'LANCALOT WILL YOU PUT ME DOWN' and again Lance laughs.

Arthur walks after them because he has English next and it was in that direction and it had nothing to do with me wanting to hear Merlin's protests and laugh at them because he was saying things like 'IF YOU DONT PUT ME DOWN, I'LL MAKE YOU' and honestly Merlin was virtually a twig next to Lance. He'd caught up with them enough to hear Lances laughing replies 'oh please, Gaius would have you for dinner if he knows you here and I didn't help get you there' Did Merlin know every staff? They disappeared from view and I hear a 'Merlin my boy, come here' and a hug must of followed and then a 'my god, I thought I'd never see you again' and then nothing a Lance shuts the door, seemingly to step out and give them privacy.

Lance nods at him "skipping class" he asks with that same tone that makes Arthur feel so less superior then him.  
"yeah" he decided he's not in the mood to play games with trying to figure Merlin out and storms out of school grounds.

* * *

Days go past till he sees Merlin again and by sees he means walks straight into him. Merlin falls on top of him and he's surprisingly light for the force he fell at. Then he forgets his line of thought because Merlin's looking at him and he gets that feeling again that those eyes are so familiar.

"God Em, watch were your going" and then Arthur freezes why the hell did he just call him that.

"You just called me Em" Merlin face in contorted in something that impossible figure out, hope, desire, lust?

"I don't know why I said that" and he doesn't because he hadn't heard any of Merlin's friends call him that.

All that gets rushed to the back of his mind because the thin fabric separating them is not enough. His breaths becoming a little to ragged and his body's reacting before his mind can catch up and Merlin's face is centimetres away from his and all he'd have to do is just life his chin that little bit.

" Get-a- room" and why is it Mourgous has made it a mission to ruin his life because Merlin springs to life and jumps up and he has no choice but to copy him.

"I will when Morgona stops brining those rabid dogs she classes as friends home" and Mourgous laughs.

"you know your friends gone don't you?" and Arthur spins to find that Merlin's disappeared fucking great.

By lunch he's pretty much gathered that Merlin's gone home repulsed by what just happened. He was walking to the football field when he heard Merlin's clipped voices and at first Arthur thinks he must be talking to him self but then realise he's on the phone and Arthur steps back automatically so that he doesn't make the mistake of letting him now he's spying on him again . Not that he was spying on him its a free world he can stand where he wants.

He tries not notice the way there are silent tears dripping down Merlin's cheek and it takes all Arthur has not to go and rub them away, sooth him. All he has.

' I'm not getting my hopes up'

'I fucking love him, I cant just walk away from him Will'

Who ever this Will character was he was certainly putting up a fight against Merlin protest, hearing Merlin slap the phone shut Arthur decided to take it as my cue to carry on walking and bumps straight into Merlin rounding the corner, unfortunately they don't end up on the floor this time.

"We have to stop meeting like this" Merlin laughs but the effect is broken by his tear stained face and it makes Arthur's heart jump a little.

"Are you ever in Class?" and it comes out a little more snappy then he meant it to be but he'd just disappeared all morning.

"I have a lot of frees, keeping track off my absence?" and his amused smile is back and its unjust that Arthur's face produces a red blush across his cheeks in response and he really doesn't think that he's ever been this attracted to anyone in his entire life.

"Your crying" curiosity beats politeness and he falters a little when Merlin's smile disappears and forehead wrinkles up.

"Observant of you, well done" his tone is trembling and the comment is said with out conviction.

"I know a place that does amazing ice-cream"

He's way out of my depth with Merlin and really Arthur was going to stay away but here Merlin is with his enormous ears and slashed cheek bones with red rimmed eyes looking horribly vulnerable and if Arthur didn't try to cheer him up then some one like Valiant would and he feels himself shudder.

"Great" Merlin grins that goofy Grin and he's just a little happy that he's managed to get one out of him.

'Then what are we waiting for.'

They spend 4 hours in the shop, in fact they would of spent more if It was not due to the fact the shop closed at 5. They talked about everything, about Arthur mainly every time he tried to get information out of Merlin he redirected the question to him again. They talked about Arthur's life, his family, his relationship with his father, his love for sport and how he wanted to go to law school. He got Merlin to talk of his friend Will who he'd been on the phone with and how fantastic ice-cream was, (it was like he'd never had any before). The last hour spent on pointless debates proving how obviously different the two of them were. Arthur drove Merlin home not really caring about his protest of he can walk or wondering where his Merlin's own car was.

They pulled up outside Merlin's flat and it was a lot more shabby then he would of expected not that he'd every say that. "Thanks for the ride" it was probably him getting ahead of him self but he sounded sad.

"Any time" Putting his best reassuring voice on and he was totally in control of being able to let him get out the car until Merlin leaned over and then his lips connected and electricity sparked through his veins, it was a fierce pushing kiss that spun his head and make him feel faint to the point of him forgetting to breath, it was like his whole life had lead to this point that his lips had been made for Merlin to have and Merlin alone and his whole being tensed and then all to soon Merlin pulled away and with a "oh god I shouldn't of done that" was gone

* * *

It had been a week since Merlin has kissed him and a week since Merlin had spoken to him yet he found he was being dragged to some party that Merlin was going to because every one loved Merlin - Gwaine, Gwen, Percival, Lancet even Leon. It was all any of them talked about Merlin.

"Just pick him up "they'd begged "You'll get on so well" they insisted going on and on until Arthur had caved and got into his car and made the short distance to Merlin's flat.

This is what had led him to be knocking on Merlin's door speechless as always when he first saw him. He was wearing an unbelievably tight white shirt the clung to his chest and arms and the tight black jeans that he always wore and Arthur had to divert his eyes before he did something stupid and he begged to the gods that Merlin didn't kiss him because he just wouldn't have the strength.

"You don't play fair" Merlin groaned reaching to take his hand unthinkingly like id done it all my life.

"Neither do you" and nudged Merlin in front of him "not in those jeans you don't"

That earns laughter and then a sigh "I shouldn't be doing this, I'm just torturing us both, I should leave" but Arthur clasps his hand more tightly in response to the words and Merlin faintly squeezes back.

They arrive at Gwaine's to people doing shots and Merlin grabbed the nearest one and downed it and practically giggled at the expression of mild disbelief that must be on Arthur's face.

"Lighten up, I could drink you under the table" causing Arthur to reach for shots and down two.

Across the room Gwen saw us 'MEWRINNNN' she yelled and he shot an apologetic glance and whispered something about Gwen being drunk was never a good idea and disappearing. He's struck between going over there or going to find his own friends but follows deciding to stick to Merlin tonight.

"Gwen how much have you had" Merlin's moaning. '

"dunt no, tell Lancelot to let me drink more" and him and Lance are laughing. He didn't think Gwen called him Lancelot, strange.

"Awferr, heyyyyyyyy, used to be a time when Mewrin could drink you stupid, cheated of course' and she was giggling. Merlin's whole body seemed tense.

"way to much to drink, way to much" Arthur said dramatically and laughed it off.

Gwaine found him across the room 'Merlin mate' and then they hugged, wait when did they get so friendly 'boy oh boy have I missed you, we need to talk' and with that yet again Merlin disappeared from him and he was left with Gwen to play her brilliant idea, I have never.  
He heard clips of there hushed whisper.

"I'm so sorry mate, I thought I'd never forget you, not you Merlin not my best mate" wait Gwaine was his best friend.

"Merlin you have got to know that me and Lancelot we tried to save you, we stopped watching you for two seconds because you promised that you wouldn't do anything stupid and then you go and throw your self in front of the King"

Arthur hears Merlin's whimper and he decides that Gwaine's drunk but he notices Lance has joined them "not the place Gwaine" and shoots a look over to Arthur, okay its possible that he's the drunk one because none of that was sane.

Merlin and Lance returned as Gwen said "I have never been in love" which was stupid because she was with Lance and she was doing this just so she could drink more but he just smiled and watched as Gwen, Lancelot and Merlin downed a shot. Merlin had been in love remembering back to when he heard him on the phone with Will and saw the sympathetic glances Lancelot shot Merlin. Merlin shook them away, "go on Arthur you do one"

"erm I have never been in a sword fight" he offered and Merlin groaned reaching for another shot just as Gwen and Lance did. Okay maybe it was an activity they'd done together perhaps fencing he shrugged it off.

"Your go?" looking at Merlin.

"I've done a lot of stuff best to let you guys to say them" and he laughs half heartedly.

"I have never met a dragon" Gwen giggles but then glares at Merlin like it his fault she hasn't met a Dragon and Arthur's sighs.

"That its from now on me and Lance are doing the I have nevers" and at the corner of his eye he sees Merlin pick a shot up and down it, he pretends he hasn't seen because Merlin has not met a Dragon.

They stay to the end sobering a little up on the walk to Merlin's flat and trip over each other to get in out of the cold and then Merlin's on him and Arthur's pressed him up against the wall and his hands have snaked up under Arthur's t-shirt and he's kissing Arthur with such passion that its eating him up and his lips are already swelling maybe even bleeding a little but he doesn't stop hitching Merlin up the wall and letting him wrap his legs around his torso.

"God I missed you Arthur, I missed you so fucking much" and before he can respond his lips are shoved on his again and some how Merlin t-shirts on the floor and he's pushed Arthur on to the bed straddling him and there kissing longer this time only leaving a few seconds to breath and Arthur's shirts no longer there and Arthur's spins them so he's on top taking charge of the kiss speeding the momentum up. "your bloody beautiful Em" and there's that nicknames again making Merlin grin and then a pain shoots through Arthur's head.

_Merlin's walking in through a door "Will you not come in like that looking so bloody beautiful Em" and he recognises it as his own voice and almost laughs because there he is wearing armour of all things and grabbing Merlin into a kiss "You don't play fair, wearing this" he says grabbing a piece of the armour. "mmm and neither do you" he jesters to Merlin's tight t-shirt and pulls him into a kiss again. Each word sticking a resemblance of how they where said just last night like a deejay vu._

Then he's back and man his head hurts and he's lying on a bed he doesn't recognise.

"I can not believe you passed out on me" he hears a low chuckle and almost jumps out of his skin.

"Weird dream" Arthur's moans and Merlin looks up from whatever he's reading and flops next to him.

"Do tell" he coaxes.

"I was in armour and you walked in and we were kissing and talking, armour though, you'd think I'd get over my name by now" he laughs expecting to hear Merlin's laugh beside me but he's frozen, completely out of it and his eyes are lit with that gold tint that he sometimes has.

"I know crazy right, its you with all the things about King Arthur being gay" he laughs again and Merlin does a tight lipped smile and inches over leaning into Arthur's side. He reaches over and plants a soft loving kiss on Arthur's lip.

"I'm not at school today I have to go to Elador to visit a friend of mine, I'll be back tomorrow" and plants another kiss streaked with compassion and Arthur insides squirm with affection.

"Your not going today , don't you mean tomorrow? Shit what time is it?" he panics

"3:30" and Merlin giggles "I tried to wake you but it seems once your passed out your passed out for good" he laughs again.

"One of my only weaknesses" Arthur sighs 'Morgona's going to kill me I have to go' he reaches to kiss him one more time and then slide his shirt on and leaves letting the cold air hit his lungs and smiling at the relief of his heart beat finely steadying, god Merlin was trouble.

* * *

Arthur closes the door an inch at a time and after 5 minuets of slowly wrenching the thing shut he hears the click and breaths a sigh of relief. The door always gave him away with its big squeak, not that he had much reason to stay out late before. A quick glance of his watch tells him its 4am and huge grin forms on his face, great there's no way Morgan's stayed up this late to catch him. Now if he can just make it up these stairs with out them creeki...

"AUTHUR PENDRAGON" and he cant help it, he reacts to his name before his mind can think better of it and spins around to face probably his biggest enemy.

"Its 4 in the morning" and she doesn't need to say much more because she spins on her heel and walks towards to the kitchen. He contemplates making a run for it and hears her yell something about making coffee and because it is in fact 4 in the morning and If he wanted to be able to get to school tomorrow he really did need coffee.

"witch" he mumbles under his breath and follows her into the kitchen.

She's already sat down at the breakfast bar nursing her coffee and pushes the cup opposite towards him.

"Do sit dear brother" she's got that patronising tone to her voice and sometimes its really hard to believe that he's the older one.

"Coffee" Arthur's starts half dead "I'll just be taking this back to my room" and he knows there's no way she'll let him, he's virtually trapped with her sitting nearest to the door and all.

"Don't be silly, what point would there be you need to be up in half an hour for your run and usual shower, you can go straight back out once you've finished that" Morgona's eyebrow rises up and seriously some times this girl is unbearable.

Arthur lets out a sigh and sits down, running in this weather that was going to be a pain considering a storm was brewing out of nowhere he may add, should really hold it off for today and okay maybe that's the excuse he's giving so that he can just stay in bed but coach always says there such a thing as over training.

"Now what could possibly of happened to you for you to go out looking sane and completely normal and then come in with your shirt ripped and a grin on your face that could rival Gwaine's completely nutterish expressions?"

He follows her eyes down to the bottom of his shirt where he finds a piece that should be covering his hip non existent. Two thoughts struck him first, Merlin could be really feisty when he wanted something and secondly, crap how the hell was he going to explain that to Morgona.

Lying is the only way, running seemed to be her excuse to keep me down, he could use this against her. If he'd already been for a run then that would explain why his clothes were drenched and ripped, he can be clumsy sometimes and it would give him a legitimate alibi for being out at 4am, his coach simply said he needed a new running pattern that wasn't actually a lie he had said that, Arthur just didn't listen and running in jeans... well he just hoped she wasn't that pickie.

When the excuse is formed and on his lips he catches her expression. That look that's plastered all over her face is deathly. Its the look that says tell me the truth or I'm going to be looking through your text messages in two seconds and that would be excruciating. Morgona has this habit and it the worse thing about her honestly. She has to meet every boyfriend he has ever had, fling or none fling, every one. While that's not many its enough to have many weeks of her telling him she hates them and them telling Arthur they hate her.

"I was at a party" and he was, just not the entire night that's all. He takes a sip of his coffee and its piping hot and this annoys him because when he makes them they go cold after two minuets but when Morgona makes them oh no they stay hot for hours. 'maybe I just know how to work the machine properly' she boasts and still its not normal.

"Hmmm and after?" and that tone is telling him she's not letting him leave this kitchen. Another sigh escapes his lips and her eyes glisten at his defence crumberling. She's the only one who can do this get under his skin like this, her and Merlin and a smile creeps on to his face and he has to shake himself before she's sees it but its already too late she's analysing everything he does.

"What's his name?" she finished playing games and this is the longest he's gone before giving in and in fact the longest she's gone having to play the games in the first place. He downs his coffee no excuse to stay here anymore but then he looks at my cup and its filled again, okay he honestly thought the alcohol was out of my system and he hadn't even had that much. with glare at Morgona he whispers 'Merlin'

An emotion flutters on her face but she recovers by almost screeching the worlds 'MERLIN AND ARTHUR' and she's laughing intensely and then regains hers composure, she always had some obsession of where our names came from.  
"I thought it was to good to be true when you came home from school saying your friends name were Gwaine, Leon and Percival, this is too bloody perfect"

"Well you can't say much what with your best friend being Gwenivere" he moaned.

She eyed him for a second and then laughed again. "And imagine my disappointment when I learnt my brother was gay and there for couldn't take Gwen as his queen" she pulls her face in to a sulky pout and he can't help but laugh at the memory.  
He was 14 and it had took a week for him to get the courage up to tell her he was gay and was met with an enthusiastic hug and whispers of every thing was going to be alright. Until she reformed into her usual self and moaned how if he wasn't going to take Gwen as his queen they had to at least find him a Merlin.

"Oh godd" he stretched the letters to take on the tone of being pissed off

"how cliché of me" and they were laughing so much that tears where rolling down there cheeks.

It took a full 10 minuets for them to calm down and release there aching smiles. "That's it we can't possibly go to school what we need it food and a good old girly chat" and she smiles again before rubbing her cheeks.

He should protest really throw her some witty remark about how she cant just expect him to drop everything and she should go to Gwen or even Mourgous though he hated the latter with a passion but he doesn't. He remembers Merlin's kiss goodbye and him whispering that he was visiting Ealdor tomorrow and there for couldn't make it to school and he wanted to say that he was spending the day because of that but he wanted to spend time with Morgona it had been far to long since they had done this.

"Bit early for fish and chip shop" he says trying to make it casual but her face seemed almost desperate and when it lit up at his words he couldn't help but feel the swell of love he had for his little sister.

"YAYYYYYYY" she yells and pulls him into a huge hug, releases him and is rushing around the kitchen ransacking it.

"Usual job?" he asks though he's already on his way upstairs to grab every cushion and quilt the house owns .

"You know it" she says her tone so blissfully happy that his mood seems to go from dead on his feet to full of energy.

By the times he finished carting all the things down stairs she's already set up the ipod dock and put all the food out. He spreads all the quilts and cushion over the floor and hears the microwave ping and the smell of popcorn is blissful, Morgona returns to the living room with two bowls and pulls the one of the chocolate bars apart and plonks them in the popcorn bowls one of there home made recipes. She gets two chairs and hangs a quilt over them and climbs into there make shift castle and he thinks about how he really wasn't kidding when he said that she's a little obsessed with where there names come from.

Arthur grabs the phone and dials the number he virtually knows by heart.

'Hello Camelot high?'

He coughs and deepens his voice "Arhh Jane" he says recognising her voice

"Uther Pendragon" and he can almost hear the fluster on the other side ' UTher' she says her pitch heightening and lowering again in an attempt to fix her voice.

"Morgona and Arthur are a bit under the weather today, I'm suspecting the boys gone and made him self sick running in this weather and gave it Morgona, that he smiles at the fact he still has it.

"I'm so sorry to hear that of course they can have the day off we don't want it spreading and our stars of the school needs to rest" and she rambling and although he hates to do this he knows what his father is like.

"Jane I'm on a time schedule cant stay on the phone rambling put them down as absent and let the teachers know that there essays and projects are to be put on hold for another week at least" and then he put the phone down, hits play on the same play list made for these days he's had since he can remember and collapses into his fort.

"Its been too long" he says and tries to cast his mind back to when they last did this. It had to be the day Leon and Morgona broke up and he spent all day doing exactly this apart from Morgona had been crying on and off for the first hour until he had managed to coaxes her out of the state she was in.

"2 years" she says softly and prompts her self up on the pillow.

"Its not your fault" she says and he know that's partly true but he cant help feeling guilty.

"Life just has a way of making you forget how good the simple thing are like chocolate covered popcorn and dragon gobstoppers" she laughs and he sits up because dragon gobstoppers had been his favourite since he was old enough to eat.

She tosses him one and he feels his face light up "Score where did you get these?" he says yanking the wrapper off.  
"Can't give away all my secrets" and she winks and she's doing that suspicous thing again because he's sure these had been discontinued years ago but he lets it go just like the coffee this morning.

"If being the captain of the football team and you the head of the chemistry lab makes us forget gobstoppers then we should be ashamed" he laughs and looks over at her and he can see by her expression she's happy if not a little no completely trying to hide the fact that she's overly curious about the conversation this morning, he can read her like a book and then he smiles because the memory of a conversation with Merlin pops up '_ What me? I'm an open book'_ he'd hit back at Arthur's prodding questions in the ice-cream parlour and a light had glimmered in his eyes had told Arthur he wasn't completely telling the truth.

"There's that expression again" Morgona's voice pulling him out of his time with Merlin and he frowns and she giggles.

"I have no idea what your going on about" he mutters still distracted by Merlin's silk voice in his mind.

"Oh god he's not even here and he's taking you away from me, you got it bad Arthur" her voice was cool but he could tell she was about to burst if he didn't give her details.

"Okay maybe I was thinking about him just a little" he admits shamed faced.

Her usual smart comebacks and snide comments didn't follow and she kept to the rules of when they first did this 12 years ago, they were just them self's here, there venerable 5 year led self's again.

"Please say he's not like the rest of the idiots you've picked I mean Edwin was just pathetically gross even to your usually low standards of partners" she lures.

Arthur shudders in response because he had to admit she was right but it was his first serious boyfriend and that was hard to see that at the time.

"Your just saying that because he didn't like you" he wasn't going to admit Morgona was right.

"Not many of your boyfriends do" she sighs and he never really thought it bothered her that much before. He moves on because today is going to be fun, they were not going over deeply threaded issues.

"However he is the complete opposite of Edwin, dark hair and insanely blue eyes with flexs of gold and he's taller then me"  
He realises he misses Merlin and not even been a day oh god Morgona's right, he's got it bad.

"Gold flecks you mean like mine?" she asks and her voice is happy like that description just made her day and her face trodden with the emotion from earlier when he mentioned Merlin's name but he'll analyse that later.

"Hey yeah, I forgot about that, gold flexs like yours and actually when his emotions get the better of them sometimes they shine gold like yours weird huh?" and really he should of noticed this sooner its just when he stares into Merlin's eyes he can't remember his own name never mind what Morgona's eyes look like.

"You know the rule don't you?" Morgona's voice in solid and daring him to defy.

"Erugh I know the rule but its too soon, I don't know how serious Merlin is about this' he bites his lip and try's and search for any indication that Merlin was in fact serious.

"We've had a deal since you came out when you were 14" she says

Her voice is a lot more desperate then it usually is when he challenges there lopsided deal because it wasn't a fair Arthur took far more then Morgona did and it really wasn't right that he made it so difficult for her to stick to this rule.

She simply asked to meet his partners normally just a coffee and Arthur wasn't aloud to be present though god knows why and in return Arthur got to keep his what ever boyfriend at the time from meeting his father by getting Morgona to say that of course he hadn't got a boyfriend and that he would certainly tell Uther if he had on his monthly calls. She also did his chemistry assignments and helped come up with excuses of why Uther had never met any one that Arthur liked when he randomly stopped by on his spot visits. In all fairness she was an awesome sister not that he'd ever tell her that.

"Would you do it for a Scooby snack?" she says sarcasm lacing her voice and waves her hand and makes one small biscuit appear she been doing this 'magic' trick since they could talk and he was always trying to see how she did it.

"This is not Scooby doo" he says grumpily and she flutters her eye lashes at him.

"Or of course I could phone our wonderful daddy and tell him all about how your head over heals in love with Merlin and your just dieing for them both to meet and then we can all sit down for dinner and Uther can drag Merlin through his obstacle course of questions in which poor little Merlin will never get the right answer to and then scare him away before your romance can even get past the getting to know each other part' and she smiles that vicious smile and she knows she's won.

"Fine Christ fine, I'll phone him later put if you scare him off.." he tries to finish before he gets cut across by Morgona's smug little voice

"Molto Bene, tell him Wednesday at the cafe around the corner, let him decide the time, I'm sure he had classes that he has to get around"' and she's practically beaming and my scowl is enough to make her grin widen to show off her teeth that are impossibly purl white.  
"You have classes too Morgona" he says trying to imply it might be hard to co-ordinate there frees.

"But I don't actually have to go to them, perks of our father being the main funder to the school" and he griminess at the fact that Merlin and Morgona would probably get on really well due to to the fact that there both never in classes.  
She turns the music up and its obviously happy as she lays down and sings along closing her eyes and Arthur watches as she falls asleep, waiting up for him seems to be more of a difficult task then she first thought and lays back and drifts to sleep replacing the living room with a dream full of Merlin.

* * *

'_O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo' he shouts at an empty field. It takes ten minuets until he hears the annoyingly smug voice._

_"Arh young warlock you do not make keeping the Dragon race a secret easy" and Merlin smiles despite him self_

_"There is no race just you Kilgharrah" its cruel to mention the fact but this is how it had always been two old friend snapping at each other always reluctantly helping one another._

_"Still brutal even in this world" and he smiles a toothy grin._

_"Where is King Arthur or at this age Prince" he asks._  
_Merlin stretches his mind and finds an image of him asleep next to Morgona in a fort of all things and captures the picture in his mind promising to resurface it later. _

_"He sleeps" he says providing that little information._

_"So easy for you to just locate him, isn't it? and I suspect this rather surprising storm is due to your mood swing am I right? Your powers just as strong as they were back then" the dragon states it as fact while looking up at the dark clouds and the lightening throwing rigged joints into the patters of what he assumed but of been daylight._

_"I have not changed, the world however..." Merlin's tone is an attempt to try to keep it light because the dragon himself has seen the world change many of many times._

_"I would like to say that I understand but for me I have watched it change into the world it is now for you it happened in a blink of an eye did it not?" he's trying to make Merlin ask for help but he's too desperate to play games._

_'When the Mourgous cast the spell, I did not see it coming I tried to deflect it but it hit me, I was dying why the hell am I not dead' he's on the edge here hoping the dragon will pull him up not push me over._

_" 'The last thing I remember was Arthur leaning over me saying hold on to me Merlin, don't you dare forget me' and then I wake up with two different sets of memories trying desperately to decide which of my life's is real, I watched my mum die twice, I heard Gwen cry over Lancelot and Arthur, I watch Gaius lose Alice so please as a dragon lord and as your old friend tell me what happened"_

_"Both life's are real young Warlock" Kilgharrah laughs softly taking pity on Merlin "I do no know all the information as to how this happened but why I am certain the answer is Arthur"_

_"You are mistaken Arthur does not have magic" though deep down I know that he can not lie to a dragon lord and he decides to listen instead of shouting some more._

_"That much is obvious, do you not think?" Merlin sighs at the Dragons tone but regains focus when he starts to speak again and he senses that he's telling the truth._

_"Arthur was devastated you had days left to live and he even contemplated taking his life if you did not pull through" he speaks again ignoring Merlin's sharp intake of breath he carries on._

_"He tracked the her and begged her to save you, he didn't care how she did it, as long as she did it, he tried everything and she told him to convince her of his love for you she would cast a spell that would save your life and allow him to keep his but neither would remember each other and with out hesitation Arthur agreed, when the spell was placed your magic reacted it bounced out and took more with it, your story is popular with the druids the very few that are left, they tend to play the dramatic bit up I'm sure you would agree" there's a shine to his eyes that makes Merlin want to yell._

_"He's starting to remember just odd things or dreams that are memories, what do the druids know of this kilgluara?" he's clutching straws here barely able to speak his name through his gritted teeth because even Gaius all knowing and seemingly all remembering Gaius had not known what to do._

_"They say this has been an old legend that they always took as more of an symbolic meaning nether the less is has indeed come true, the spell is strong and has only one counter that can break it, you must make Arthur fall in love with you again, the kind of love you had before the love that could defeat anything"_

* * *

He woke to Morgona shaking him. 'Why were you muttering about dragons Arthur' and he groaned because he couldn't actually remember his dream just that it was weird as hell.

"We slept for 12 hours" and she stretches grabbing the phone.

"Hey Helena, an hour will be fine. Maids on her way" she says pulling her self up, ring Merlin" she says in sickly sweet voice and he reposed my taking his shoe off and throwing it at her. He makes a big deal of dialling the number so she can stop going on and tells him to put it on speaker and he does to tired to argue.

"Arthur" the voice playing into his ear and its full of eagerness and Arthur feels like he's home at last.

"I miss you" He says doing a fake groan. Morgona makes a performance of gagging across the room.

"Its been a day" Merlin laughs and Arthur grins at the sound and then adds "but unbearable all the same"

"My incredibly annoying sister wants me to ask if you'll catch a coffee with her around the corner from school but of course don't fell like you have to say yes, I did say no but she's rather persistent, that's if your home" and it strikes him that he might not be and where is Ealdor anyway.

* * *

_The pain starts in his head again and a flash of him and Merlin fighting pops up there both in armour this time and he can remember every thought he felt, he's frightened not because he's fighting viciously with some kind of bandit but because Merlin's there and Arthur's worried so worried he feels sick, if anything were to happen he wouldn't know how to return home and act like he was nothing but a manservant and then he wakes up drenched in sweat and laid on the sofa, god did he pass out again? He hears muffled voices and recognised Morgona's and please no is that Merlin?_

* * *

"The spell was placed directly on Arthur and me, my magic tried to counteract it but I was too weak. It did however help me not forget, though Arthur had no such luck."Merlin's face is dry and factual like he wants to get out and Arthur's pretty sure he's sick with all the fainting and hearing rather ridiculous things.

"I guess you guys remembered because the Mourgous gave us a small mercy, you were probably meant to help us meet again but with me growing up in Elador with Gwen it was hard for Lancelot to track me down to actually help." Merlin's just going on to explain how he was going to try and fix this what ever this is when Morgona's soft voice startles Arthur into remembering she's there.

"I kept them away Merlin for as long as I could, each and every boyfriend I scrutinised every one till I was sure there were no possible ways they could hurt him. I searched for you everywhere, I never stopped believing you'd come back for us" she breaks "for Arthur" Morgona's got a tear sliding down her face and Merlin lets out a rough 'Morgona' before getting pulled into a hug the kind Arthur's not sure he's seen her give to anyone not even him.

She seems to pull her self together and steps out of the hug that he's decided was way to long for Arthur's liking.

"He was muttering something about a dragon earlier in his sleep, I was beginning to think it was a memory but I was under the illusion that you had never introduced them" and he doesn't need to look to know Morgona's raising an eyebrow

"I tried, they wouldn't of got on believe me" Merlin's smile is wishful until its wiped of and quickly converted into a disapproving frown.  
'Crap- I reached out for him earlier our minds must of connected he's awake now he wont remember -speaking of he's awake, he's getting a little too found of ears dropping' and Arthur curses him self, he needs to be more sneaky.

He closes his eyes shut "This counts as your meeting you get no more" he yells because he's hoping he hasn't been out for too long and there for their meetings been short and sweet.

He opens his eyes to Merlin's face and before he can speak Merlin's lips find his and he hears Merlin's sigh of relief.

"Stop doing that, passing out makes a very pathetic worried boyfriend and I have to keep my image up" Arthur grins at the word boyfriend and raised an eyebrow but Merlin looks unfazed and carries on.

"Look I have to go, Lancelot's been calling since I got back but I wanted to make sure your were okay before I went, rest will you?" he posed it has a question but he get the feeling its rhetorical then kisses Arthur on the forehead and strides over to Morgona kisses her cheek and walks out the door calling out good byes.

He suddenly remembers the night before with Lance and Gwaine and promising they were going to meet up because this wasn't the place to discuss it. Wonders if he could follow them because its quit obvious that there was no way that Merlin's telling him anything of what there whispers are about.

He braces myself 'Go on you hate him, how low can my standards actually get, what is wrong with me, why on earth haven't I dumped him yet?' he sprouts off all of Morgona's usual catch phrases after meeting his boyfriends and then looks up at her expectant.

'He is bloody lovely, keeper that one' she smiles a smile that Arthur's never seen before one that's free and careless.  
"I might have to nick him off you, we're going to be really good friends and look I already have his number, isn't he a sweetie?" he groans, not knowing which is worse her hating them or loving them why can she never find a middle always the dramatic.

" No I did not embarrass you but I have to tell you everything anyway so you can analyse it, I know the procedure. Hmm how shell I put this? Let just say that his eyes are something to rival my own and from the moment he walked in me and him shared some great memories" she spoke softly as if her and Merlin has been life long friends with coded words.

"Save me the riddles" Arthur says turning over and falling back to sleep into another dream of another life.

* * *

_"Merlin, wait up will you?" Arthur must of been running after him for some time because he's panting and can feel the Panic that was riding up in him as Merlin stalks deeper into the forest. He's in armour and Merlin's wearing a black cloak in a bid to get away unnoticed._

_"What do you want Arthur, you made your choice just leave me alone" Merlin's eyes have glazed gold he turns around trying to hide the obvious hurt and Arthur can tell the him of that time wants to grab him, comfort him._

_"Where will you go?" maybe Ealdor he's thinking, he can cope with that if he knew that at least Merlin had another chance of a life one his mum would of wanted him to have, a happy one where he wouldn't have to hide._

_"I'm going to go find Lancelot, him and Gwaine are the only ones I have left anymore" Merlin's tone is full of anger something its never been before when talking to Arthur and he realises Merlin was never going to go to Ealdor he could never go home when she wasn't there to be his home._

_"Does he know" and its out before Arthur can stop him self._

_"Does he know what Arthur, does he know I like boys, does he know I have magic? Because I'm not entirely sure which one you hate the most about me" Merlin's voice is seething and he's turned around to stare directly at Arthur._

_"He knows. You tell him heck I bet even Gwaine knows yet I find out by accident, do I mean nothing more to you then being your King" its Arthur's turn to be angry even if he knows its not justified and he ignores the way his gut twists at the thought of Merlin thinking Arthur hates him._

_"Yes because I saved your life repeatedly because your my king, Arthur I fucking love you so much is scares me so much that I think it more powerful then anything I could ever do with my magic" he loves me Arthur remembers thinking, he loves me and I'm going to lose him he thinks._

* * *

Arthur wakes to a tear stained pillow and a sudden urge to find his Merlin of this time not the one that haunts his dreams not the one that Arthur still feels sick at the thought of losing and that's when his phone rings.

"Arthur Pendragon this is Camelot hospital we have Merlin Emrys here, we found your number on his phone unable to reach anyone else" the doctor tone is to serious and its driving into Arthur's skull so much that he drops the phone and grabs his keys and is out the door with so much as a second thought to why his heart was pounding as much as it had been in that dream.

He reaches the hospital in record time sprinting through the door and ignoring the odd worried glances he got when almost throwing him self at the receptionist.

"Arthur" the receptionist questions and he recognised her as the small shy girl from school

"Freya I need to find Merlin please I haven't got time" and tries not to register the look of grief on her face at the mention of his name.

"I saw him brought in Gaius got here a second ago, turn to your right and follow the corridor second room you see" she speaks quickly, factual and he's grateful and runs following her directions, comes to a halt on the right corner hearing Gaius.

"Yes Morgona I understand you want to be here but your spells can't help him my dear girl" Morgona must of heard and Arthur feels almost guilty for not telling her himself.

"To my understanding the point of the spell was that neither of them were suppose to remember but of course Merlin being Merlin found a loop hole his magic made him self remember but the spell hit him directly and its not as simple as he thought. The sorceresses curse is fighting to rid of his memory while Merlin's magic is fighting to keep it there battling inside his head." he's speaking into the phone using coded words and riddles as every one who knows Merlin seems to do and all of sudden he can't wait anymore and he rounds the corner pushing past the protesting Gaius.

"Arthur" Gaius is behind him but all of a sudden the room is spinning because there Merlin is lying in a hospital bed, wires attached to every visible part of him, translucent white and from the beeping of the monitor a ghostly slow heart beat.

"What's wrong with him" the words tasted too bitter to detached like he should be holding on to Merlin's hand not trying to keep himself up right.

"There calling it a brain tumour" with that Arthur feels him self fall against the floor only vaguely remembering that the next Merlin he sees is a dream.

* * *

_"Sire some ones here for you" Gwenivere face is red from crying and she steps to the side to reveal Lancelot cradling a body, a body Arthur knew all to well._

_"We were attacked by bandits, I didn't see them he was pierced by a sword before I could get of my horse" Lancelot's face is pained but Arthur's paying more attention to where Lancelot hands are because there red pressed against Merlin's side._

_"Get Gaius -Now" he shouts and grabs Merlin out of Lancelot's hands places him on his bed. Keeping his hand firmly against the wound. Merlin's eyes flutter open._

_"Dam it Lancelot I told you not to take me to Arthur, I told you.." he moans and falls unconscious again and Lancelot's dashed to his side and in his place is Gwaine._

_"No, no, no - Merlin" Gwaine's voice A lot of shouting from Gwaine and Lancelot goes off, Gwaine insisting Lancelot should of done more, the other insisting he'd trade his life for Merlin's in an instant. Arthur ignores them watching as Gaius is now treating the wound with a distractingly worried expression on his face. is consorted in pain, they've always had bond that Arthur never been able to understand and it strikes with how much Merlin left behind when he left all those months ago. _

_Accept he never really left a voice tell him he was permanently on Arthur's mind and he'd tried to forget about him, wash away his goofy smiles and off levelled remarks but it had been in vain._

* * *

"Arthur I told them not to ring you, I told them..." Arthur drowns him out sitting up from the chair he'd been moved from realising that those words resembled his dream and wondering if Arthur's dream Merlin had been okay and if he had did that mean Arthur's Merlin would be okay.

"I'll be out soon you see, in fact while you were having a rather pleasant sleep, mumbling my name I might add, I managed to convince Gaius to go get coffee but we have to move quick" Merlin's voice is rushed and whispered like he was trying emphasise there time limit.

"Arthur come one help me up then" Merlin's looking at him likes he's the one who's insane.

"You can't honestly expect me to help sneak you out of a hospital, your ill oh god you took the wires off while I was out didn't you oh for god sake you idoit"Arthurs rambling worry stuck in his voice.

"I don't want to be here look take me home, please Arthur I'm begging you" Arthur would give anything to that voice, he'd give Merlin his soul if he'd ask in that voice.

He scopes Merlin up into a bridal hold and winks at him and he gets the feeling that he's done this many times with Merlin perhaps more from a dungeon rather than a hospital and he shakes him self trying to separate his dreams from reality. They make it as far as the reception and he's sure if he just runs then they can get to Arthur's car without being caught but then Freya flutters to his side.

"Merlin what did I tell you about trying to sneak out, Arthur you can't possibly be helping him" she's walking along with them and scolding Arthur's with such intensity that he forgets how small she is.

"shh Freya go care for the sick" Arthur mumbles quickening his pace.

"Keep the Doctors off our back, tell them I left my cell phone at the hospital and there's no possible way I can be contacted" Merlin's voice is as breakable as he looks and Arthur pulls him closer.

"I haven't even seen you" Freya's face is smoothed out and she's looking a Merlin in awe and he gets the feeling that the stare she's giving him is one of protectiveness maybe even love and he really cant' remember seeing this two talking at school.

* * *

"MERLIN EMYRS WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING OUT OF HOSPITAL"

Arthur nearly drops Merlin as the sheer surprise of the voice and he walks towards it to find a little group has formed. Lance is stood next to Gwen with a protective arm thrown over her shoulder, Gwaine stops pacing back and forth on seeing them, Morgona's stood up and its his guess she was the one to yell, even Percival and Leon's there. Arthur hears Merlin groan at being centre of attention.

"Leave me alone, ergh why is it always like this" Arthur remembers back to everyone in his dream and wonders if Merlin must of dreamt something similar.

"Because people care for you mate, look your tired let Arthur take you to bed and we'll talk about this probably later" Lance always the voice of reason and Arthur smiles as him to show his support at the idea.

"I'm not completely useless you know and I'm not a sick child" Merlin's voice in undetectable as if he's straining just to speak.

"What I need is some drink, a lot of it and possibly some oh god what is it called the thing you order out for...'  
Arthur silently wonders if this is due to the tumour but if anyone else think so they don't show it 'has cheese on it' Merlin adds insanely proud of himself for his description and even though he wants Merlin to catch some sleep he leans his mouth to Merlin's ear 'pizza' he whispers giving in to Merlin was easier then fighting him.

Some how this ended up crazier then Gwaine's party, several were passed out including Gwaine, Morgona in a very suggestive hold, Gwen on the sofa drooling.

"I'm the sick one yet I'm still standing" Merlin's laughing draped across Lance.

" You cheat"he hears Gwen mumble for falling asleep again.

"You can change this can't you though, before it gets worse" Lance is straight forward always has been but Arthur stills at the get worse part.

"No I don't think I can, it took years for him to finally admit he loved me, 5 to be precise and I'm afraid that I have 5 months not years" Arthur realises he's been laid there with his eyes closed and they probably suspect he's passed out. Lance draws a sharp intake of breathe and

Arthur feels like crying all of a sudden, probably shouldn't of drank that much.

"Your giving up" Lance accused and he can mentally feel Lances pain in saying the words.

"I will never give up on Arthur" and with the all to familiar head pain he's plunged back to medieval dreams.

* * *

_"Your awake" dream Arthur explains and he gets the sense that this is the morning after Merlin was brought in half dead and stabbed, relief washes over him Merlin's okay._

_"I'll be leaving tomorrow, as soon as Gaius stops fussing, I'll be gone" relief vanished at the thought of losing Merlin in an entirely different way plunges at Arthur's heart._

_"You really have given up on me" Arthur makes his tone indifferent like either answer Merlin gives will no effect him._

_"I will never give up on you Arthur" Merlin's reply is definite and final like Arthur was crazy for thinking other wise and then Merlin's out of bed walking towards the door and panic makes Arthur react and he grabs Merlin's hand from the door handle and turns him and kisses him._

_It's a kiss like no other they'd ever shared up till this moment. It desperate and needy, Arthur trying to show Merlin how much he cares. It mind buzzing and all consuming like the kiss had the power to destroy hundreds of Kingdoms and thousands of Army's. Its them because that's what they are Merlin and Arthur neither separate but together, two sides of the same coin as Merlin had once called them._

_"I'll tell every one, I'll shout it to each person on the street and write it on every scroll that's in the kingdom Merlin, I swear I wont hide you anymore" Arthur's breathless and a little dizzy if he's honest but he needs to make Merlin under stand._

_"I love you so fucking much that it scares me, so much that I think its more powerful then any of my Kingdom" He's twisted Merlin's words, the one that had been in his head every second they've been apart and he hopes to god that Merlin remembers and he does because he's smiling the smile Arthur would walk endless torturous days for._

* * *

"It's about bloody time" Merlin mumbles pressing his lips to Arthur's once more.

Erugh he sits up and places his hand on his head not sure whether it was a hangover or the effects of his dreams.

"Hey I made coffee, do you know how cool coffee is?" Arthur's worried expression makes Merlin stop in his tracks, was his Brain making him forget what simple things were coffee, pizza things Merlin talked of like he'd just discovered them.

"Every ones still a sleep, I thought we could spend the day together" misinterpreting my expression into worry for the others how conceited his Merlin was.

Arthur pats the empty side of the bed and Merlin collapses on it willingly. Inching as close to Arthur as he can get and then still wriggling as if it was possible to get closer with no space between them. Arthur sighs, reaches for Merlin and drags him onto his lap, his had lulling against Arthur's chest.

"Hmm coffees not good for sleep" he sees Merlin's brow crease like he didn't know the effects coffee had.

'Its like the coffee is keeping me awake when all my mind wants to do is sleep, like magic' Merlin smiles to him self and continues his voice barely heard

"I'm forgetting aren't I?" Arthur stops him self from crumbling at those words and closes his eyes fighting the tears that threaten to spill. It shouldn't be a big deal forgetting a few food items but then when it got worse what else would he forget, his name, his friends, Arthur?

"Tell me a story Arthur" and Arthur does because Merlin's vulnerable and he can't force him self to tell him to stop being such a girl or some other off handed remark.

"There was once a young Prince who prided himself in having no weakness and for being the greatest knight Camelot had every know and his name was Arthur" and he certainly ignores Merlin's mutter of "sounds a bit of a prat to me".

"Although his fighting skills were superior he fought for duty and not for passion. He fought for the kill. He need not worry what would happen if he was killed and he had no friends or family important enough to make him be bothered about his life. He fought out of duty and he fought for the kill" Arthur repeated engrossed in his own story now, his own dream.

"Then there was you" not noticing himself slip into present tense "and all of the sudden I had a weakness, I had some one important enough to want to come home too and now I fought the battles for you and when I became King I had you by my side and it was inventible that I screwed up." Arthur sighed, noticing the tenses and switched them again.

"The now King and his servant had a fight. The servant had magic and the servant loved the king every bit as much as Arthur loved Merlin in return. They had a fight and Merlin left, fled to go to his best friend and Arthur crumbled. He wanted to find Merlin and tell him the truth, that he was not scared of the magic or that he was gay. He was scared of Merlin of how he made Arthur feel. Arthur wanted to explain that to have some one you love so much be easily touched by death frightened Arthur. People would hurt Merlin so that Arthur would be hurt and it scared Arthur that he wanted to kill anyone that laid a hand on Merlin that he would demolish whole kingdoms if some one but lay a finger on him."

Arthur sucked in shallow breaths and continued.

"So when he finally got Merlin back he couldn't contain himself. He tricked Merlin into walking out on to the balcony" Merlin again muttered 'see told you he was a part' and visibly reddened.

"okay smart arse finished the story" Arthur handed, only wanting to find out if Merlin's redden face hand anything to do with the ending.

"You know what the idiot had done? He had gathered every citizen of Camelot in the square and before stepping out he made up some nonsense of being nervous and so Merlin stepped out on the balcony with Arthur after making him promise that Merlin could just stay in the shadows until the speech was done but before he could slunk away to the corner the king cleared his throat"' Merlin's voice was full of annoyance but Arthur kept listening not bothering to ask why Merlin knew the story that he had dreamt.

"The whole of Camelot was quite and Arthur grabbed Merlin's arm and dragged him so there body's pressed against each other and kiss him in front of everyone and then turned to the awaiting crowd and spoke with controlled proudness 'Dare any one question' and no one ever did." Arthur didn't understand why Merlin had stopped and watched as he was the boy wipe at his eyes and duck his head under Arthur chin to hide his face.

"and Arthur wanted to say much more to the crowd, he wanted to tell the crowd that Merlin was his and yet he wasn't Arthur's not yet because he wanted to tell the crowd he was to marry Merlin at first light but instead he grabbed Merlin's hand and pulled him back into the castle worried that if he said all that, Merlin would run away and get scared just as Arthur had those long months ago" Arthur coughed at the end trying to clear his voice from sadness and searched Merlin's face.

"God M what are we going to do" Arthur asked clutching onto Merlin because he wouldn't lose him, he couldn't.

"Were just going to be us Arthur, just us" Merlin's voice said the words like there had never been an I just a We and there had never been an Merlin and Arthur just us.

Being us entitled a lot more then the small words implied.

Being us involved Arthur kissing Merlin senseless whenever he saw him thinking to much. It was Arthur skipping school to be with Merlin and dodging his fathers calls. It was in the way that Arthur made them blueberry pancakes and had flour fights in the kitchen and covering Merlin from head to toe in the stuff.

It was the was the way Merlin held Arthur when the dreams got to much, like when Arthur's father had died and he had woken up believing that he really had despite the setting of the medieval castle. It was the way Merlin would listen to Arthur ipod for hours and hum along to every song. It was how Merlin did every history report for Arthur and received the highest grade possible and it was mostly Arthur ignoring the way Merlin had said "Arthur go out with your friends, go to school you need a life outside me once I'm gone"  
Months passed filled with days of pillow fights and kissing each other crazy. With memories greater then any Arthur previously held of this life and only rivalled the ones in his dreams and Arthur was happier then he'd ever been.

"Were out of coffee" Merlin stated rattling the empty tin.

"That's because you drink gallons of the stuff" but he caught Merlin sad pout and added "I'll send Morgona to get some once she's back from school and don't chide in with a remark about that's were I'm supposed to be" Arthur rolled his eyes in Merlin's direction

"Were out of milk too and tea, even orange juice who runs out of orange juice Arthur" Merlin's voice full of mock despair "you'll have to go its not fair on Morgona carting everything back herself she doesn't have a car"

Arthur got were this was going it was the whole you need a life other then me thing seriously was it possible Merlin was as stubborn as he was.  
"Besides I need my medication, I took the last this morning you'll have to go pick it up, I've only got a couple of hours till I need my next one" Merlin's voice was innocent as if the fact he needed medication in the first place didn't bother him in the slightest and for Arthur the reminder of the medication was all that it took for Arthur to kiss Merlin on the forehead and slide into his car not before calling Gwaine because besides what Miss Neme says Arthur wasn't stupid.

Merlin never took his tablets unless Arthur hid them in Merlin's food or bribed him with kisses. So Merlin all of a sudden becoming interested in his medication was suspicous to say the least but he needed to get the dam things so Gwaine would have to look after him while Arthur was gone because some one had to look after Merlin while Merlin was busy looking after everyone else.

* * *

He arrived home to Merlin shouting 'GWAINE NO' and Arthur's heart swells at the sound of Merlin's voice, because above all the feelings it stirs in him it means Merlin's alive but then he hears it 'Ambulance please' and Arthur's world comes crashing down.  
He runs and find Merlin in one of Gwaine's impossibly large arms and the phone in the other. Merlin's trying to bat the phone away but he's weak, weaker then Arthur ever seen because he cant lift his head up its on Gwaine's shoulder and instead of his legs curling around Gwaine's waist to make it easier for him to reach the phone there dangling by Gwaine's side and the hand being used to grab the phone is limp and causing a pained expression on Merlin's face.

"The ambulance is on its way Merlin, now can I put you down or are you going to make another attempt to half kill your self by diving for the phone" Gwaine's got no conviction to his stern voice because his expression is one of pure dead.

"Depends who your going to call since I'm now obviously going to the hospital now" Merlin's voice is frail like his voice box is about to shut down.

"You know who I'm calling" Gwaine replies and this time its one that even Arthur would be stupid to argue with.

"Look no Gwaine, we don't have to tell Arthur about this, I'll get a check up and take my medication, I wont hide it under my tongue anymore and I'll be good please" desperation hangs in the air and he can see Gwaine considering this because its a good deal hell if Arthur was Gwaine he'd take it but he's not.

"We don't have to tell Arthur what?" It comes out harsher then he meant it to but he doesn't have time to apologies, he see's Gwaine drop the phone and scope Merlin's legs up and turn to face the direction of the question.

"Arthur" Merlin squeaks and then he sees him, really sees him. He's shaking in Gwaine's hold and his clothes are drenched in what must be sweat his eyes are no longer blue but a solid gold, his skin is whiter then he thought skin could get but mainly he notices the blood dripping from Merlin's nose and then he's gone because Gwaine's running to the kitchen he follows not understanding, they should be outside waiting for the ambulance but then he gets to the kitchen and Merlin's wrenching and a red liquid escapes his mouth and it takes all the willpower Arthur has to walk over to Merlin and rub his back encouragingly.

"He's pucked at least a pint of blood, Arthur he's dy.." the ambulance sirens droned the end of the sentence out or maybe Arthur does himself.

* * *

Every machine Arthur had ever imagine has latched on to Merlin and his hand in turn is latched onto Arthur's. Morgona's the first to arrive, they hear a doctor shouting and Morgona's yelling before the door opens and Merlin's hand goes limp in Arthur's fingers and if he hadn't of shot Arthur a quick wink then he too would of had Morgona's expression.

He studies her taking in the site. Merlin's go his eyes clothes and his chest isn't rising and Arthur wonders how long it'll take until Merlin stops holding his breathe, he's counted 30 seconds so far.

"No Merlin" and before Morgona can say much more Merlin's eyes shoot up and he coughs out a "gotcha" before rapidly trying to gain control of his lungs again.

Arthur rolls his eyes and places the oxygen mask onto Merlin's face, he steps up intending to give the two privacy when he hears the loudwhip and then turn to see the red hand print on Merlin's face.

"THAT MERLIN EMYRIS IS FOR PRETENDING YOU WERE DEAD YOU BASTURAD" this was never going to end well for him, to hell with the privacy but then she bends down and kisses the red mark.

"That's until we meet again Emrys" she whispers turning away from Merlin and Arthur but not before he sees a single gold tear shimmer down her cheek.

Every one follows Morgona's lead, they all come but not to see how he is to say good bye and Arthur can't bare it because he won't give up on him, even if everyone else has.

* * *

Lancelot and Gwaine file in next both reaching for a hug at the same time and meeting one of Merlin's arms.

"Best friends" Gwaine mummers smothering is face onto Merlin chest.

"Always" Merlin croaks and he's realised there saying goodbye because his eyes transform back into there early state and gold hurt replace the blue confusion.

"It's never goodbye with us Merlin" Lances usual steady guided voice is a gush of emotions and it unsettles Arthur but Merlin just smiles.

"How many time do I have to try and get rid of you" he laughs but the humours lost and it ends up being more of a sob as he squeezes them both and releases them.

"Look after each other boys" his voice is barely there because Arthur yet again stuffed the oxygen mask back onto Merlin's face and he's swallowing the air gratefully.

* * *

This one he doesn't want to be here for so he leaves with out explanation and Gwen replaces him and Arthur sits be the door not wanting to stray just in case but he can hear the voice and he cant hear this goodbye he really cant.

"Shh hey, stop it" Merlin's voice carries onto the corridor in a hush.

"My tears aren't even pretty like yours or Morgona's" he hears Gwen's startled laugh.

"But our smiles Gwen, they aren't as beautiful as yours" and Arthur's pretty sure Gwen smiles because he hears Merlin's sigh of relief. He peaks then because its gone quite and finds Gwen curled on the hospital bed, laid facing Merlin there foreheads touching.

"We are brother and sister in everything other then blood" Merlin whispers so softly its sound almost like lullaby soothing, peaceful, barley there.

"If you were my brother, you wouldn't leave me like this, you'd fight have the surgery" she contradicts and if it wasn't for the lulling moment he would of raced in to high five her.

"And gain my self only a week before the spell came back to battle with me again, this is not medical there is no cure" its factual now no softness, just his voice stripped of any clue to how he is feeling.

"Please" she whispers "don't leave me" and Arthur hears sobbing not sure of who it and not entirely drawing the line at it being both of them, after along time he hears the whispered response.

"Take care of everyone like you did me, make something of your self there's a letter in the bedside cabinet in Arthur room give it to Gaius" he's doing it again not letting himself by selfish even in his death.

"Do you believe in heaven" and Arthur sucks in a breath at hearing Merlin's desperate frightened voice.

"I believe in you Merlin and that's all that matters" its a hoarse response from crying and he peaks again wondering if she's stopped.

"I'm not scared of dying" Merlin's says like his golden eyes don't give it away. ''I'm scared of letting you all go, I'll miss you" it pierces Arthur's heart and he makes to stand to try and tear the hurt away from Merlin but he looks around the door and sighs.

Gwen has her hand cupped around Merlin's face and then she sings.

'Constant as the starts above, always know that you are loved'

She carries on verse after verse her voice a calming wave and Arthur just watches as he sees Merlin's eyes fade from gold into blue again and then he whispers ' I love you Gwen with all my heart' she falters in singing wishing her love back and kissing his forehead before proceeding her voice still as calm as ever.

Merlin's must of feel asleep because Gwen's suddenly sat by his side on the corridor tottering away Lance who offered his seat in the family room.

"I used to do that when we were little, when ever he got scared when his mum was ill or a storm was too bad, when he had a nightmare or eventually when his mum died and he came to live with me, it seemed every night his eyes would gleam gold and I would sing it over and over some time 5 times until his eyes would return to blue and he'd sleep, that's what I like to think he's doing he's just going to sleep leaving all his worries behind." and Arthur wants to thank her a million times over for being there when he couldn't

"Be with him Arthur'" is all she says and he walks wearily into the room reaching out again to take Merlin's hand.

* * *

"I've been wondering when you'd come and say goodbye" its a whisper of a whisper and shakes Arthur back into reality.

"Don't be stupid Merlin, I'm not saying goodbye because your not going anywhere"

"Please Arthur don't watch me die, go please" there's no substance to the voice like the personality left it hours ago, he watches Merlin struggle keeping his eyes open.

"You can't die Merlin, I love you please" and Arthur's all of a sudden in a very different room.

* * *

"DO YOU EVER LISTEN, YOUR THE WORSE PERSON EVER, CHRIST, IM PRETTY SURE I SAID MERLIN DO NOT THROW YOUR SELF INFRONT OF ME"

this wasn't the time for a dream wait not a dream a memory?

"No Merlin you promised you'd be with me forever" its pathetic how needy his voice is

"It's been an honour to die by your side my love" its the same voice Merlin used earlier no substance.

"You didn't die by my side you dying in my place you idiot" if he'd of just been faster Merlin would of been alright he'd not be fighting for his life.

"I love you Arthur"

"Don't you dare say goodbye not like this" its fierce and evil and Arthur doesn't care in the slightest "I'm going to find Mourgous"

"NO , Its too dangerous" his voice is pleading but finally he's letting some of his emotions show.

"I Won't let you die"

"If you go I won't forgive you Arthur, not ever" Merlin's eyes blaze gold as he says those words.

"You don't have to forgive me, you just have to live"

' I'd rather have no life, then a life with out you' Arthur flinched at the emotion in Merlin's voice reminding him of how much he's hurting his lover. The deal was that they would both live but forget the other existed, forget Camelot existed.

"We'll find each other' and he's there kissing Merlin

"Hold on to me Merlin, don't you dare forget me" he presses the pressure point behind Merlin's neck and the boy falls unconscious instantly.

"I'm sorry, I love you" and he stalks of in search of Mourgous.

He wakes up on a cold stone floor and looks around stopping dead when he sees Merlin's pale face and still chest. He didn't understand they completed her challenge, they went through all that for nothing. Huge sobs break from his chest and he curls himself into a tight ball. This isn't right he and Merlin they were gunna grow old together.

"FIRSTLY ARTHUR PENGRAGON GET OFF THE FLOOR - do you have an idea how long its going to take me to wash that robe, well do you?"

"Secondly you knocked me out after I distinctively told you to not accept morgoses challenge, why do you never listen, Arthur your not listening to me again are you?" and to be honest he's not because Merlin's there breathing and scolding him and he's home at last.

"Well what do you have to say for your self" he watches Merlin impatiently tap his foot.

"Marry me?" Then some how they've closed the distance and his lips meet Merlin's and his heart beats ten times faster the pace it always does when ever Merlin's near, his breath shallows and finally he's home in Camelot but more importantly in Merlin's arms.

"I have loved you for two life times Merlin Emrys and that's still not enough" Arthur's usually well kept emotions get the better him and he kisses Merlin softly this time and breaths against him, his lips aching when he withdraws like its physically hurting them to not give into Merlin's mouth.

"Your glowing Merlin" Golden lights leaked out of every inch of Merlin and Arthur could virtually hear his magic purring. His eyes are the most intense gold Arthur's ever seen. He was beautiful.

"mmmm I've missed you" Merlin's says licking Arthur's lower lip.

'so marry me?' Arthur asks again, cocking an eyebrow up Gaius style

' So I'll marry you' Merlin confirms as if it was the only option


End file.
